Tuesday 4 February 2020 11:16, UK
Israel Folau arrived in Perpignan on Tuesday for his first training session with Catalans Dragons ahead of his potential debut against Wakefield this weekend.
Folau joins up with his new team-mates for the first time following his controversial transfer to the Super League team.
The French club have been widely criticised following the announcement that they had signed the dual-code international, who was sacked by Rugby Australia last May for anti-LGBT+ social media posts.
Catalans ignored the warnings of both the Rugby Football League and Super League with their signing of the 30-year-old Folau on a one-year contract but the transfer has been defended by the club's chairman Bernard Guasch.
He told local newspaper L'Independente: "When the moods of each other [side] have subsided, we will judge that this player is perhaps the biggest coup in the history of this sport and of [the club] in France.
"We will then savour the exemplary player he is. I know he will delight the Catalan public.
"We do not share or tolerate his opinions and we are totally committed to making our club and our sport open and welcoming to everyone."
Folau has not played rugby league since 2010.
Despite this, Dragons head coach Steve McNamara may be tempted to include him in the squad to face Wakefield Trinity on February 9, due to injuries and players having left the club over the winter.
Catalans lost their opening game of the Super League season 32-12 against Huddersfield Giants.
Analysis from Sky Sports News reporter Fraser Dainton...
"The big question is when he will make his debut for the Dragons. When I was in France at the time the news was announced last week, it was 50-50 in terms of French fans who were either happy or unhappy with him joining the Catalans.
"The Australian has proved to be a divisive figure among supporters we spoke to at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday.
"While some were happy for such a high-quality player to be joining club - provided he keeps his religious views to himself - others were concerned his arrival will damage the image and values of Catalans and the sport as a whole.
"Perpignan's LGBT66+, which represents over a hundred and fifty LGBT members - are dismayed, and are concerned that work they have done to foster relations between various different sports groups will be damaged.
"Super League clubs are due to have a meeting at Salford on Wednesday, with Folau's signing understood to be top of the agenda.
"Several clubs are believed to be extremely unhappy about the news, while there are also concerns that sponsorship partners may be considering walking away from the sport.
"The Dragons are scheduled to play Wakefield Trinity at the weekend but given the fact he hasn't played a game of rugby for at least nine months and he hasn't featured in a rugby league game for several years, his involvement will probably be minimal.
"There is every chance he may come off the bench for the last 10 minutes, given the fact he is training from Tuesday.
"He will get a good few sessions with his new team-mates and have time to get a grasp of what head coach Steve McNamara wants from him.
"McNamara did say to me after their season-opening game against Huddersfield Giants that the Dragons are particularly short in Folau's position (centre). So the possibility remains that he could potentially feature this weekend."
